Summer is a time to be happy, enjoy the sun and above all, do it together as family—but we must be aware of the seasonal threats to our health and safety

What’s not to like about Summer? It’s warm weather, mostly sunny days and of course, a thousand reasons to spend time outside. However, there are three main threats to the health and safety of both adults and children and at MyMRI we want you to be aware of what they are and how to prevent them:

Cold Threat: When the weather is warm or hot, public places tend to be freezing cold as businesses blast cold air-conditioned air to entice you to spend time indoors. However, most people think that the sudden change from hot-to-cold and cold-to-hot can cause us to get seasonal sniffles… Well, as much as you think that’s the case, the reality is that dirty air conditioning system filters can be the culprit, since bacteria trapped in them is now being blowing at full-force indoors. To avoid the “summer cold”, considering spending less time indoors at public places. And if you are a business owner, then be sure to change your air filters on or after Memorial Day—this will ensure that your AC unit is keeping everyone cool, rather than unhealthy.

Drowning Threat: Summers are notorious for another big safety threat—that is, children drowning in pools and other bodies of water. Most of the times, the main reason children die from drowning is that adults fail to supervise them. In fact, quite often the news coverage of home drownings is followed by quotes like “I was only away for a few minutes…” If you are planning of going inside to prepare refreshments while watching children, get another adult to relieve you until you come back. And if no one is available to do so, ask the children to get out of the pool and “take a snack break” so they can follow you inside the house while you get them food and drinks.

Burning Threat: Barbecues are synonymous with summer, as are burgers and hotdogs. However, this also means that the threat of getting burned increases—especially when you barbecue around children. Whether you are using coal, wood or gas to heat up the grill, you should establish a safe-zone and boundaries for children and adults around. Quite often a child gets burned by a cinder by simply standing a few feet away. Play it safe by asking adults and children to play away from a grill, especially when playing with football, soccer or other contact sports. Never forget that all it takes is seconds to go from safety to danger.

Remember, it’s the summer—get out and exercise so you can get some of that needed Vitamin D from the sun. But never forget that safety is paramount when getting together with friends and their children. And most importantly: never apologize for playing safe. Let them all know you value their lives and health, so that they can be on-board with your personal safety awareness program.